


Day 278

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [278]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26847025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [278]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 278

Denni finished her morning meal early and made her way to the Circle garden to steal a few moments with the plants before the enchanters arrived. In the months she had been brought to the Kirkwall Circle, she had found little peace anywhere in the Circle except for the garden. Back in the Alienage, she would help her parents grow vegetables by the windows.

Here, she had found plants she had never heard of before, but that were of the utmost importance, it seemed, to the operation of the Circle. The alchemists brewed potions as fast as the gardens could grow ingredients.

The rest of the gardeners would be along soon enough but Denni had a few moments alone here before they arrived. Well, as alone as she ever was. Three templars were on patrol in the gardens watching her every move.

Denni saw, to her delight, that the rashvine was ready to harvest. Denni likes rashvie, mostly it was the color but also, because of its dangers. You had to be careful how you handled it, or you would pay the price. It demanded respect.

Denni grabbed one of the baskets, put on some thick gardening gloves, and started harvesting the vine. She was so focused on her work, humming a lullaby her mother used to sing to her as she went, that she gave a yelp when she felt a mailed hand on her shoulder. She nearly dropped the basket in her haste to get away. It was Ruvena. She was a templar to be avoided if possible but not anywhere near the worst.

“What are you doing here?” demanded the templar.

“I’ve been assigned to the gardens,” Denni replied. “I have permission to be here.”

“Not today you don’t,” Ravenna said. “It was announced at breakfast.”

“I left early,” Denni offered as explanation. “I must have-”

“Must have wanted to get a bit of fun time in before anyone else got here?” Ravenna looked at the other templars suspiciously. “Spreading your legs for these louts won’t get you special treatment you know.”

“I didn’t… I wasn’t...”Denni was horrified. She did everything she could to avoid that sort of attention from the templars. They were discouraged from ‘forming attachments’ with mages but if they were caught Denni would be accused of corrupting templars.

“I don’t really give a shit,” Ruvena said. “The gardens are closed. Get out.”

“C-closed?” Denni stammered. Spending time in the gardens was the only thing that kept her sane. It was a time she could relax, at least a little bit. “For how long?”

“Until it bloody well isn’t anymore,” Ravenna snapped. “Get the fuck out.”

Denni didn’t need to be told again. She fled the gardens, leaving the rashvine behind. She ran, but with tears welling up in her eyes it was hard to see where she was going. She didn’t even see the templar in the front of her until she crashed right into him. She stumbled backwards and the templar reached out and grabbed hold of her arm, keeping her from falling over. 

She shrank back out of reflex. She didn’t know who she had run into and it could mean a strike across her face or it could mean a few days in solitary. She didn’t know if she could survive a few days without sunlight right now.

“Easy there.”

Denni felt a wave of relief. Keran. She explained what had happened while he led her back to the apprentice dormitory. He explained that they were renovating part of the barracks, that it would extend halfway into the garden, that was why it would be off limits. When it was done she would be allowed back into the gardens but he didn’t know how long that would be.

Keran left her to cry on her bed, promising that no one would disturb her until she had composed herself. Once she had thought Keran and a few other templars could help her but she had since learned all they were good for were turning their heads and pretending not to see things.


End file.
